I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the submission of your Five-Year Plan (FY 2013-FY 2017). We are all aware that economic changes are causing reductions in all sources of public (federal, state, local) funding for libraries while public demands for library services are increasing. Your plan outlines how the State of New York intends to fill the gaps by providing workforce services, afterschool programming, electronic resources, and broadband access.

With built infrastructure in nearly every community in the nation and dedicated, knowledgeable staff, I believe that State Library Administrative Agencies and their partners are positioned to connect people to one another and to the full spectrum of human experience. Your Plan demonstrates a commitment to embrace new service opportunities as changing information delivery services, platforms, and information policies create new challenges in providing critical materials, both print and digital, that are the foundation for all other services.

Most importantly, your Plan documents the need for and impact of LST A funds in the communities you serve. It is an excellent framework for the future, and it is approved for the full five-year period.

Thank you for working with IMLS throughout this process. It is my hope that this plan will lead to an excellent evaluation five years from now. Until then, I look forward to tracking your progress and to our continued work together.